Farm Ops, Agriculture and the Military

As part of my role as Agricultural
Outreach at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County I help support
the Cornell Small Farms Program’s Northeast Beginning Farmers Project initiative
called Farm Ops. These efforts provide
veterans and active duty military/families with resources for entering the
agriculture industry whether it is starting their own farm, working in
agribusiness, or working for an existing farm. As the industry evolves, skills in technology, marketing, management, mechanics, etc. are becoming more desirable and veterans are exiting the military with these very skills. In
addition to resources such as guidebooks, online courses, scholarships, etc.,
interested persons are encouraged to attend CCE programming free of
charge. Thus far, military families have had the opportunity to tour Center Dale Farms, Cross Island Farms, Lake Effects Farms and Igo to the Farm throughout Jefferson County. Outreach is ongoing to continue to build stronger relationships with veteran
agencies and help
veterans and military families harvest experiences in agriculture.